


Amortentia

by moonyxtoast



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Happy Ending, M/M, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-18 23:21:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29497971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonyxtoast/pseuds/moonyxtoast
Summary: Regulus is too good at potions so he goes to class with the sixth years.James founds out the younger Black it's not as bad as it seems.
Relationships: Regulus Black/James Potter, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 1
Kudos: 45





	1. The tragedy

**Author's Note:**

> TW: Homophobic slurs.

\----

"Can't Barty, sorry, I have potions next," Regulus said after his friend asked him to go to the kitchens with him.

"Since you've got potions with sixth year I barely see you! I'm getting bored of Martin, he's annoying," Barty complained. 

The younger black was smart, everyone knew that, but he was particularly good at potions, and Slughorn said he was too good to be in fifth year level, so the teacher made him go to class with the older teenagers. This didn't upset Regulus at all, and it made his parents proud. But there was a problem, the classes were with the Gryffindors. He always tried to ignore them and stick with the older slytherins.  
At first he thought that Sirius, his older brother, would be annoying him all the time with his friends but it seemed like he didn't care at all, actually, his older brother didn't even look at his direction. Regulus didn't care anyways, Sirius abandoned him. He ran away and moved in in the house of the popular, perfect, tall, funny, outgoing and annoying git, Potter. 

What did everyone see in him? 

Why did Sirius preferred him? 

Regulus was good too, I mean he wasn't funny or the most charming person but he couldn't be that bad, could he?

"Mhm, we talk later mate, gotta go, I don't wanna be late," he responded not paying attention at what his friend said. 

Regulus luckily wasn't late to class. He never was late to anywhere really. He never had a detention, or got in trouble.  
He was not a prankaster like his older brother, and if he wanted to break a rule he was careful, and he never got caught. 

"Hello class, today we are going to try something different," the professor started explaining, "who knows what is a Amortentia is?"

Regulus raised his hand, but he didn't do it fast enough.

"Remus Lupin" Slughorn indicated. 

"Amortentia is the strongest love potion, and they say that you can smell the person you like in it," Remus answered. 

Remus Lupin, Regulus didn't know much about the boy. Well, he knew that Remus and Sirius were dating. Everyone knew that. His older brother made sure everyone did, snogging in the hallways, the stairs, everywhere. A lot of people in the school didn't like it, Mulciber and Snape called them faggots, or poofs, or fairys all the time. Regulus didn't mind if Sirius liked boys. Of course he didn't say that to his mother, in front of her, Sirius was a disgusting blood traitor and a fag. 

"That's right Mr. Lupin, ten points to Gryffindor," the professor said with a smile, "Now that we all know what it is, I'm gonna pair you with one of your classmates and you have to work together and make the potion with the instructions that are in the page two hundred fifty," he added. 

He heard some classmates complaining about the fact that Slughorn was going to make the pairs. Regulus didn't mind, he wasn't friend with any of his potion classmates anyways. 

"Peter Pettigrew with Remus Lupin. Lily Evans with Goyle," he heard the red head whisper an annoyed 'fuck'.

Slughorn kept going until Regulus heard his name,

"Regulus Black with James Potter," the professor said, "Mary MacD-,"

"Excuse me?" Regulus interrupted. 

"Is there a problem Mr. Black?" 

"I- No, no professor, sorry,"

Regulus couldn't believe his luck. Bad, bad, bad, bad luck. There was more than thirty people in the classroom, and he got paired with the Potter prat. 

"Hi," James said with a grin, appearing out of nowhere.

"Bloody hell, don't do that you scared the shit out of me," Regulus complained exalted. 

"So... how do you wanna do this mate? I was thinking about doing it in the library," James said with still that stupid, annoying grin on his face. 

"First, I'm not your mate," he responded coldly, "The library sounds okay. Tomorrow, at six pm, do not be late, Potter," Regulus ordered.

"Due three weeks and four days, that's all the time you need to do it," Slughorn said before James could answer. "You can leave now," the professor added. 

Regulus got up and left the classroom. 

"Hey Reg, heard about the tragedy," Barty said as Regulus entered the room.

"Do not call me Reg," he answered with a straight face, "and yes, a tragedy is the perfect name for this situation. I can't believe the twat of Slughorn put me with Potter"

"That little blood traitor, muggle lover. It's shite mate. Do that potion fast or he might wash you brain or something"

"I'd hex him first," Regulus said with a playful tone of voice. But not smiling. He never smiled. 

Barty chuckled. "Of course you will"


	2. The snake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regulus bumps into Sirius.  
> Jegulus has an awkward meeting in the library.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: mention of intentionally not eating, sad thoughts.

"Wake up you little shit," Regulus said trying to wake Barty up. Every morning was like this. The younger Black woke up at 7:30 in the morning, then he got up right after, brushed his teeth, change his clothes and after that, the most annoying part, waking Barty up. "C'mon or we're gonna miss breakfast you twat" 

"Mhmm five minutes," Barty mumbled.

Regulus, tired of his friend not cooperating, grabbed his wand, and pointed it up Barty's face.

"Aguamenti," 

"SON OF A BITCH, WHAT. THE. FUCK"

After that little scene, they headed to The Great Hall and had breakfast. It was quiet, peaceful, as usual, he talked a little bit with Barty and other slytherins, but Regulus didn't talk much in the mornings. Or at any time of the day. He only had actual conversations with Barty. Their roomates only were on their room at night for some reason, so they never talked much. Most of the time Regulus was already asleep when they went to sleep. Or sometimes the younger Black sneaked out at night, and went to the astronomy tower. It was quiet there, and no one went there at night. It was only him. 

His day was normal. He went to charms after breakfast, and he had other subjects during the morning. Lunch was pretty normal too, some idiots put a spell on the slytherin dishes and out of nowhere they had a Gryffindor print, but nothing too crazy besides that.

"Who do you think it was?" Barty asked after lunch as they walked to defense against the dark arts. 

"What is even that question? It clearly was Potter and his lap dog, Sirius Black," Snape said appearing out of nowhere. 

"You really hate that bloke don't ya'?" Barty asked. He didn't really like Snape, neither did Regulus. Severus was considered a creep even in Slytherin. 

"I dont care about him that much to hate him," Snape said trying to sound cool, but he ended up sounding like a twat. 

"Mhm. But you don't stop talking about him, so what's the deal? do you fancy him?" Crouch said, obviously trying to piss him off. 

Snape tried to grab his wand, but before he reached his pocket, Regulus grabbed his wrist. 

"Is there a problem Snape?" Regulus said with an intimidating look. Yes, Regulus was 5'9 and kind of skinny, but he was still the heir of Black, and he didn't use is social power usually, but sometimes it was necessary.

Snape detached himself from Regulus's grip and walked away.

"Pathetic that one," Barty said with a smirk.

"Mhm"

"Today you have your meeting with Potter, don't ya?" 

"Sadly, I do" 

"That sucks," Barty said as they entered the classroom. 

It was 6:10pm and James was late. Regulus was already there at 5:59pm.

6:13pm. Nothing.

6:15pm. Nothing. 

6:20pm. Nothing.

6:23pm. There he was.

"You're late," Regulus said with an annoyed look. 

"Sorry mate, couldn't make it in time"

"I'm not your mate," Regulus said. 

James grinned, 

"Right, sorry," he apologized and then he sat. 

"Did you bring the cauldron?"

"Yup," he said as he put the cauldron in the table. 

"I've got the ingredients," Regulus said as he put six little bags in the table. 

"Where did you get them so fast?" James asked, with a genuinely confused face. 

"Bought them"

"Where?"

"Some hufflepuff was selling them," Regulus responded with an annoyed looked. Why was he asking so many questions?

"Brilliant"

Regulus sighed. "I will go crazy, I will be mental by the end of the day" he thought.

They started mixing some of the ingredients slowly. It was a very advanced potion and you have to be very patient, because you make one little mistake and you have to start over. 

Ten minutes passed, in silence.

"And... What do you do?" James asked. "Of course he can't be in silence for an hour" Regulus thought.

"I dont know, Potter. Pass me the peppermint"

James passed him the peppermint.

Five minutes passed, in silence. 

"You know, Sirius misses you" 

He did not just mention Sirius, did he? 

"For Merlin's sake Potter can't you be in silence for five minutes?" Regulus complained, "And that's not your business," he added.

A minute passed. Silence. 

"No," James said. 

"Excuse me?" 

"I can't be in silence for five minutes," 

"It's your turn to mix, my wrist hurts," the black haired boy said, ignoring what James just said. 

They changed seats and James started mixing. 

Fifteen minutes. Silence.

"We should put more pearl dust, and then it has to rest for a day and a half," Regulus stated. 

"Pass me the pearl dust, please" 

"It's right next to you, Potter, you grab it" 

"Oops, true" 

He added the pearl dust, mixed it for ten minutes, and they where ready to go. 

They got up.

"Day after tomorrow, same hour, don't be late, Potter," Regulus said, and before James could answer, he left. 

He went straight to bed, he missed dinner anyways.

"How was it?" Barty asked while he looked for his pijama. His side of the room was always a mess. 

"I fucking hate him," he answered as he got into bed. 

"Not surprised" 

The next morning was normal, nothing new, no pranks, just peace. Even waking Barty up wasn't that hard. It was a good day so far.

He was heading out to lunch when he bumped into someone,

"Watch where you're walking, snake," said a very familiar voice. It took a second but he recognized it. Sirius. 

"Oh shove off," Regulus answered with a piercing look. 

Sirius was going to answer but James stopped him,

"Mate, drop it," James said, touching Sirius's shoulder. 

Sirius looked at Regulus and walked away. James did the same but right before he gave a little smile to Reg. A "sorry about that" kind of smile.

Why did Potter have to get involved? It wasn't his business. 

Why did he try to 'help him'? Regulus did not like it. If he had to talk to his brother he'd do it. Who does Potter think he is? He is not Sirius's brother, and if he thinks he is then he is wrong. 

Regulus did not like Potter. He was loud and he wanted to get involved so bad, it was obvious. What? Did he think he would be grateful with him? 

Annoying prat. 

And then he realized he was standing alone in the hallway and he'd miss lunch if he taked longer. 

Regulus suposed he was starving because he didn't have dinner last night and he only had a cup of tea for breakfast. 

He suposed he was starving because he never noticed when he needed to eat. He just did it because it's a part of his schedule. He was used to not eating.  
On holidays, when he is at his house, he misses most meals, he does not like eating with his parents in the living room, so he just pretends he's sleeping, and at early morning, when everyone is sleeping he asks Kreacher for cereal or a sandwich. And sometimes he didn't. He just didn't eat for days. 

He went to The Great Hall and sat next to Barty. 

"You're ok?" Barty asked with a worried face.

"Yes," Regulus said. "Why?"

"Okay, just checking"

They ate lunch, and then Regulus dragged Barty to transfiguration because he "didn't feel like it". 

The day was average now. It wasn't good anymore but nothing too bad. 

He did what he did everyday, go to classes, talk with Barty, then they had dinner, and finally, they went to bed. 

It was two in the morning and Regulus couldn't sleep. 

He got up trying to not make noice, and it wasn't difficult. Living with his parents teached him a lot of things to get away with stuff. Because you did not want to get im trouble there. 

He didn't even have to think about where he was going, his body was going by itself, he didn't even need to think which way it was.

The astronomy tower.

He sat on the stair of the door. He always sat there. 

Snake.

Why did he say it? He was a slytherin, that was an obvious fact. But what was the meaning behind what his big brother told him.

Snake.

He remembered in his first year, when Sirius got mad at Regulus because he was sorted into Slytherin. At the moment, he didn't understood why his older brother got mad at him. He didn't choose to get sorted into Slytherin. Why was he reacting like their parents when Sirius got sorted into Gryffindor?

Snake.

He felt that void in his chest. He felt a lump in his throat. He remembered the feeling he felt in first year. Why was all his family proud of him but his big brother wasn't? He didn't care if their parents were proud. He wanted Sirius to be happy for him. He looked up to Sirius. He wanted to be like him.

Snake. 

They are treacherous animals. With cold blood. Not trustworthy, you don't want a snake as a friend. Was that what Sirius saw when he looked at Regulus?

Snake. 

Regulus put his hands to his face. It was wet. He hadn't realized he was crying. But the most annoying thing was the void. It was always the void. 

Snake.

And then the Potter situation. Why did Sirius trust him but not Regulus? What did Potter have that Regulus couldn't give him? Regulus knew that he was cold but that doesn't mean he doesn't have feelings. After all, he is a person, not a monster.

Am I a monster? 

Regulus put his head between his knees and hugged his legs. And he let it all out. All of it.


	3. The detention night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regulus gets in trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Aggresive thoughts

Regulus went back to bed that night. He didn't know when, but as soon as his head touched the pillow, he fell asleep. 

He woke up at 7:34pm. 

He took a shower. He never took showers so early, but he felt like it today. 

He put on his Slytherin robes and then woke Barty up. 

"Are ya' meeting with Potter today?" Barty said with a sleepy voice. 

"Mhm" 

"I was thinking about a party, friday. What do ya' think?"

"I don't know mate," Regulus hesitated. He wasn't the most party lover person. He didn't like getting pissed. He didn't like to feel out of control. 

"C'mon, it'd be fun, and I wanna invite everyone"

"Okay, you do it, I dont know how long i'm going to be there though" 

"Nice" 

They were heading to breakfast when a voice called him, 

"Oi! Reggie!" Regulus instantly recognized the voice. 

"Don't call me that, Potter"

"Yeah, yeah. Anyways, you still can meet today?" He said with a grin. The annoying grin that made him wanna punch Potter in the face. 

"Yes, it's that it?" Regulus said with an annoyed voice. 

"Yup, pretty much it. Well, see ya'!" He said as he dashed away. Regulus rolled his eyes.

"That bloke is so weird," Barty said with a disgusted face. 

"I know, I can't stand him"

"Yeah, he's dating that mudblood bitch, I knew it was suspicious that he never talked about the Dark Lord," Mulciber said to Regulus. For some reason the older boy had decided to sit next to him and Barty during breakfast. Regulus didn't even know who was he talking about and he didn't care. All Mulciber did was talk about the Dark Lord and how great he is. Barty thought that too but he didn't talk about it all the time. Regulus suposed he thought that too. 

"Mhm," Barty responded with a monotonous tone. 

Mulciber kept talking about someone being a whore and some guy being a blood traitor, and Barty and Regulus pretended they were listening. 

Regulus looked at the Gryffindor table. 

Sirius was next to James and Remus, the Peter bloke was next to James. They were talking and laughing but somehow James was the center of attention. If you looked at them the first person you looked at James. Everyone looked at him when he was talking, and they payed attention. 

Prat. 

Why does everybody love him so much? Is because he is tecnically handsome? Or is just because he's loud and manages to talk over everyone? 

"Good chat lads, but I gotta go to history of magic, see ya'," Mulciber said as he got up and walked away. 

"Finally," Barty sighed. 

"Mhm"

It was an average morning. Until lunch. 

Regulus was sitting next to Barty, as usual. But out of nowhere, the goblets of the Slytherin table started to release red and gold smoke. And puff, a bunch of glitter of the same colors erupted from the goblets, bathing the slytherins in it. The Great Hall was a chaos. The slytherin girls were screaming and the boys were cursing.  
The other tables were burst out laughing. 

Regulus sighed. 

"Fuck," 

"YOU WANKERS, WHO WAS IT? HUH?" Barty yelled. 

Seconds later, Dumbledore standed up,

"Scourgify," the headmaster said with a relaxed voice. And everyone was clean.

The lunch was pretty normal after that. Of course the slytherins didn't stop talking about it.

"It was Potter, I'm telling you, it was him," Severus, that was in front of them, said. 

"Talking about your boyfriend, Snape?" Barty cackled. The Slytherin table laughed. 

"Shove off Crouch," he answered with an annoyed look. 

"Are ya' gonna invite me to the wedding? I'm really looking forward to it, you know?" 

Severus grabbed his wand and pointed at Barty, but right before he casted a any charm, Regulus grabbed his,

"Expelliarmus," he said with a quiet, almost careless voice. 

Snape's wand flew away, and before the older boy could do anything, Regulus whispered,

"Avis," a flock of birds shot from the young Black's wand. And they went straight to Severus to sting him.

The whole Hall started laughing as the black haired boy whined. 

"Black. Detention," a voice said behind Regulus. Slughorn

"What?! But he tried to attack Barty!"

"But were the birds necessary?" 

Regulus snorted. 

"At eight with McGonagall, I'm not available tonight," the professor added. 

The day went well after that inconvenient, the classes were average. Nothing new. 

At 6:01pm Regulus was already in the library, waiting.

6:05pm. Nothing

6:10pm. Nothing 

6:15pm. There he comes. 

"You're late, again, Potter"

"Yeah, sorry, McGonagall found out that it was me at lunch," James said as he put the cauldron with the half-done potion in the table. 

"connard," Regulus whispered in french so the other boy couldn't understand. 

"What?"

"What?"

"Did ya' say something?" 

"No Potter, I didn't"

"Oops, sorry, thought you said something" 

"Mhm," Regulus said as he put the ingredients in the table, "you mix," he added.

"But I mixed- Never mind, it's okay" he sighed, "Nice one what you did with Snape today" 

"Mhm"

"I didn't know you didn't liked him"

"Nobody likes Snape" 

James chuckled,

"You're right" 

"We should put more pearl dust," Regulus said. 

"More? You sure?"

"Yes Potter, I'm sure" 

"If you say so," he said has he added a pinch of the dust to the potion. 

Five minutes passed. 

"So... What do you like?" 

"Sorry?" Regulus looked at him.

"What do you like to do? In your free time, I mean" 

Regulus stared at him maybe a second too long.

"What do you care?"

"I'm trying to have a conversation" 

"I don't want to have a conversation with you" 

"Okay, I respect that" 

A minute passed. Silence.

"But you could try at least," James added.

Regulus rolled his eyes. 

"Mon dieu," he whispered, "It's none of your business what I do in my free time"

"Okay, okay. Don't get mad" 

"I'm not mad," Regulus answered with a annoyed tone and looked at James in the eye. 

"Okay," he said quietly. 

"I'm not" 

"I believe you," he answered with the same quiet tone. It made Regulus want to punch him. 

Regulus sighed, breaking eye contact with James to kept writing in his parchment the process of the potion. 

Five minutes passed. Silence.

"You should mix slower," Regulus criticized. 

James started mixing slower. Too slow.

"Ugh, not like that- Let me do it," the black haired boy said as he got up and moved James to the side, then he grabbed the scoop and started mixing. 

Regulus looked at James, James was looking at Regulus's hands. 

Regulus cleared his throat and James came out his trance and started writing. 

Ten minutes passed. They added two more ingredients and now it had to rest two days.

"Saturday, same hour, do not be late," Regulus said, and then he walked away before James could answer.

Regulus was walking to his detention with McGonagall, when he felt someone following him. Regulus put his hand in his pocket, where his wand was. 

He kept hearing the steps behind him, he turned around. James.

"Why are you following me?" He said with a annoyed yet confused tone. 

"Jeez, I'm heading to detention with McGonagall," James said, putting his hands up as if he was giving up.

"Oh" 

"Yeah, oh"

They started walking together to detention in awkward silence. 

"Why don't you have detention with Slughorn?" James asked.

"He wasn't available" he answered with a straight face. 

"Mhm" James said as he opened the classroom's door. 

"Oh, come in boys," McGonagall began. James and Regulus came in. "I have a pretty easy task for you. You have to put all these books on those boxes, separating them by category. You can go when you're finished" 

Regulus looked at the books. There were at least, ninety. And five boxes, one had written History, the second one Fiction, the third one Herbology, the fourth one Transfiguration and the fifth one Defense against the Dark Arts. 

McGonagall left the room and James and Regulus were alone, again. 

"Let's start with history," the black haired boy said. 

"Okay" 

They did as Regulus said, and they were doing it pretty fast, but there were many books and it was probably going to take a while. 

"I heard Snape in the hallway, he was whining to Mulciber about what you did at breakfast, it was brilliant," James began, "I knew you weren't like them," he added in a whisper. 

But Regulus heard it.

"What do you mean 'not like them'?" Regulus said with an annoyed look as he picked a book and put it in the box. 

"Well... You know"

"No Potter, I don't know," he answered even more upset. Why does he have to be so insufferable?

"Never mind, drop it," James responded, then looked at the floor, then at the box and then he picked a book and put it in the box. Regulus tried to read his body language but he didn't understand it. 

Regulus sighed. 

"I can't stand you"

"You love me, really," James said with a smile.

"I do not," Regulus answered with a straight face. 

"Whatever you say, Reggie," he responded playful, and then winked at him.

"Don't call me that"

"Okay, okay"

Why is he so friendly? Is annoying. He doesn't know him. I mean, Regulus knows James is like this with everyone but he doesn't want James to be friendly with him. It makes his blood boil. He wants to punch him and kick him and fucking set him on fire. Ugh. 

They were done with the history box after thirty minutes, and they started with the fiction one.

"Regulus," James said with a serious tone.

"Mhm"

"You know... What Sirius said, he didn't mean it" 

"Don't get involved, Potter, it's none of your business," the black haired boy contested trying to not get too mad right now. They had to finish this fast, he wasn't in the mood for a fight. 

"Yeah but I wanna help"

"I don't want you to help"

A minute passed. Silence.

"Why?" 

"Because my brother made his decision a year ago, it's done," Regulus said quietly trying to not sound mad or show any feeling. 

"I dont understand, what decision?" James asked with a confused tone.

"He left" 

"He had to"

"No he didn't! And what do you know anyways? I'm telling you Potter, do not get involved," Regulus ordered, already annoyed. 

"You could leave too," James whispered. Regulus heard it, but chose not to answer.

Sirius abandoned him and this twat, that knows nothing about him, tells him that he could left too. 

He felt the lump in the throat. 

They stayed thirty minutes in silence.

The fiction box was ready, the herbology one too because there wasn't that many books of that category. They started with the transfiguration one.

"Heard your friend is doing a party this friday, he invited everyone," James broke the silence. 

"I'm aware" 

"Are you coming?"

"I don't know"

"You are not the party kind of person, huh?" James asked with a smirk.

"No shit," he answered with a straight face.

James chuckled. 

"You know, we make a lot of partys in the Gryffindor common room, you should come" 

"Potter, I'm studying for the O.W.Ls, taking sixth grade potions and I already told you I don't like partys, what made you think I would like to come?" 

"Totally forgot you had O.W.Ls this year. It's not that bad, you're gonna be good," James said with a grin.

"Yeah, I know"

The reality was that Regulus was barely studying for the O.W.Ls. Everytime he tried to study his mind got lost in some thought. He wasn't worried though. He knew he was going to get good grades because... well, he always got grades all his life so far.

"You're so humble," James joked, and then chuckled at his own joke. 

They finished the task McGonagall gave them an hour later and they were ready to go. 

"Good night," James said with a smile.

"Mhm," Regulus responded as he left the classroom and started heading out the common room.

"How was your detention?" Barty said while he got into bed. 

"Not that bad," Regulus answered.


	4. The party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regulus discovers something new.  
> The party everyone has been talking about, happens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Underage drinking, underage drug use.

"So, I already have the firewhisky, I asked some Gryffindor bloke and he got me some right at the moment, it was bloody impressing... anyways, I talked to some hufflepuffs and they got the spliff. Then I convinced some girls to put the silencing charm for us, because you know what happened the last time..." Barty described.

It was friday, they day of the party, and Barty was planning everything himself, he was very good at that kind of stuff. 

"You're coming, right?" he asked.

"Maybe," Regulus said, without taking his eyes off the book he was reading. 

"What?! No, you have to come, you don't even have to drink, it's gonna be loads of fun! And what if I get in trouble? huh? who's gonna help me?"

"I don't know mate"

"Please please please," Barty begged as he sat next to Regulus.

"Fine"

"Thanks," Barty sighed and then got up, heading to the door of the common room.

"Ne me fais pas regretter ça"

"I wont!" he responded as he left.

It was 3pm and Regulus had finished his morning schedule, he didn't have any classes until 4:30pm. 

He was laying in his bed, looking at the sealing, thinking about nothing, because if he tried to think about literally anything, his brain would tell him "go study for your O.W.Ls" and he'd fell guilty because he didn't want to. 

After five more minutes of this activity, he got up and decided to go for a walk inside the castle. He didn't really like to go out, except when he had to because of quidditch, of course. But it wasn't quidditch season yet, so he didn't have practice until early october, in a week. 

Regulus was walking down the hallways, it was pretty crowded, most students decided to hang out in there or in their common rooms.

He thought about the party, will it be like this? did Barty really invite everyone? suddenly Regulus started to regret saying to Barty he was going to go. 

Regulus kept walking, until he got to the stairs to the fifth floor, an abandoned floor that was always empty, no one usually went there. 

"Why not?" he thought, and then he started up the stairs. 

The place was cold and, since the curtains were closed, kind of dark. There was some benchs and a tea table next to a red sofa in the corner. Regulus sat on it and a dust cloud came out of it. 

"Ew," he mumbled. He looked at the table, there was a book on it. He grabbed it and cleaned the dust in the cover with his pants.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. A muggle book. 

"Nobody is going to know," he thought as he opened it and started reading. 

He quickly found himself absorbed in the plot and analyzing the characters. He came to the conclusion that his favorite characters were Jo and Beth. 

The minutes passed and he couldn't stop reading, until he realized that an hour has passed and in five minutes he had to be in Defense Against the Dark Arts. 

Regulus bookmarked the page he was in and closed the book, then he hid it under one of the sofa's pillows. He'd come back later. 

He dashed to the classroom.

"Black, you're ten minutes late, mind to explain why?" the professor said.

"Sorry sir, I had a complication"

"I'm not giving you detention because it's the first time you're late, but do not do it again"

"Yes, sir," he said, and then walked to his seat. 

"This place is almost full already!" some slytherin girl, that Regulus hadn't bothered to learn her name, exclaimed. 

"I know, this party is gonna be so good, I can feel it," Barty responded with a grin. 

They pair kept talking about how Barty managed to get the stuff so fast. Regulus was listening but at some point he got bored and just looked at their mouths pretending he was paying attention. 

"I have to get out of her as soon as I can," Regulus thought. Why did he invite literally everyone? He even saw some third years in here. What if something-

"Hey, hey mate, are you here? hellooo? there you are, take this, is some muggle drink, it's really good, you have to try it," Barty interrupted his thoughts and handed him a glass of something that looked like orange juice.

"I don't know mate," Regulus hesitated. He didn't not want to drink it because it was a muggle drink, he didn't want to drink it because when he was drunk he either had a mental breakdown or he behaved way too friendly with everyone. 

"C'mon, it's good, I promise"

"Fine," he said as he grabbed the glass and took a sip. It really was good. It was something that tasted kind of like firewhisky, but harder, and had orange juice, "hey, it's not bad"

"Told ya'," he responded.

"Barty, do you wanna come and dance with me?" the girl asked and then batted her eyelashes. 

"Sure," Barty affirmed and then winked at Regulus as he left. 

Now he was alone. Perfect.

He sat in one of the sofas, with the muggle drink in his hand, and he just... was there. 

Five minutes passed. 

"Oi! Reg!" a voice said behind him. Regulus knew exactly who it was. Shit.

"My name is not Reg, Potter," he said with a straight face. 

"Isn't it? I was pretty sure it was!" he joked with a grin. He was wearing muggle clothes, like most of the people in there. He was wearing blue jeans, with a black shirt, a denim jacket and black shoes. 

Regulus rolled his eyes.

"Oh c'mon! you love it. Hey, I thought you didn't wanna come," he added.

"I say I didn't know" 

"True, true. Anyways, are you having a good time? What are you drinking?"

"Some muggle drink," he responded, already feeling overwhelmed. 

"Nice, didn't know you wanted to drink-" 

"Oi! Prongs! Watcha' doing?" other voice said from behind. It took him a second, but he recognized it. 

"Talking with Reggie about the drinks," he answered and it seemed like the older Black hadn't noticed Regulus's presence until James said his name. 

"Oh. Hi"

"Hi" 

"Hey mate, I gotta- Umm, go... check something, see ya' later!" James obviously lied, and then walked away. 

"Mental that one," Sirius said as he sat next to Regulus. 

"Mhm," the younger black responded trying to not show any emotion. 

"So... How are you?" 

"What do you care?"

Sirius pulled out of his pocket what looked like a cigarette and lit it. Regulus smelled it, it wasn't a cigarette. 

"I care," he said. 

"I don't believe you" 

"Why?" 

Prat. Asshole. Twat. Dick. 

"Did you really just asked why?" Regulus said with a sarcastic smile. 

"Yes, I did. Tell me why you dont believe me, Reggie" 

"You left me"

"You didn't wanna come"

"I couldn't come" 

"Yes you coud, you just didn't want to," he said with a frown.

"No Sirius, I couldn't leave. They didn't care about you, you already dissapointed them. I'm the heir. They are not going to let me go, I'm stuck in there"

"You didn't even try"

"You're impossible, Sirius," Regulus sighed. He looked around and noticed there was so many people and so much noice, and somehow he and Sirius and him managed to argue. 

Sirius offered the joint to Regulus. He hesitated. 

"Toujours pur," the voice of his mother said on his head. 

Fuck it. 

He took it and inhaled. He didn't cough. 

"The Potters wouldn't mind if you stayed with them. They love doing that kind off stuff" 

Regulus didn't answer. 

Sirius got up and walked away. 

"Hey! Regulus, there you are, I've been looking for you everywhere," Barty almost yelled, because the music was too loud, as he took Regulus's empty glass and gave him a full one, "are ya' enjoying yourself?"

"Yup"

"Cool, hey mate, I gotta go, I'm gonna go with Evanore," he said and walked away as he winked to Regulus, again. 

The young Black got up and walked (with a lot of trouble because he was being pushed every four steps and he also was trying to not drop his glass) to the door of the common room. He had the get out of there.

Finally, after ten minutes of pushing and walking, he got out of the room. He knew exactly where he wanted to go now. 

As he walked to the fifth floor, he sipped his drink, it was actually really good and he decided he liked it. 

As soon as he got there he sat on the sofa and opened the book. And he read, and read, and read, until his eyes were tired and before he could get up and go to his bedroom, he fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> REGULUS READING LITTLE WOMEN IS CANON IDGAF


End file.
